The debate follows multiple reports of sexual assault happening in the Metaverse
Twitter is currently alight with gamers debating whether or not online teabagging constitutes sexual assault - but what started the conversation?
While the topic has been dissected online as far back as 2018, this most recent discussion regarding virtual teabagging kicked off after a user reposted a recently deleted message thread which gaming site
FragHero claims originated on a chat log of a private Discord server.
However before we get into that - for all those unaware of what the act of teabagging in the context of video gaming is, it's basically crouching down onto an enemy and simulating rubbing your avatar's crotch in their face.
While performing such an act would undoubtedly be considered sexual assault in real life, whether or not it carries the same weight in the virtual realm has sparked a flurry of thoughts and opinions.
Posted by Jake Lucky, co-owner of games company Full Squad Gaming, the post reads: "I don't know who needs to hear this, but teabagging in video games is not sexual assault".
https://twitter.com/JakeSucky/status/1541566452058140672?s=20&t=2KJzElwfFAjBoa4p6j3M8w
The tweet was accompanied by two screengrabs which featured conversations between two anonymous parties, starting with the comment: "Yep and then we get into games where people think it is okay to tbag and that it's funny, when really it's sexual assault."
The alleged conversation continues, with another user saying: "if tbagging is sexual assault im a repeated sex offender [sic]"
Finally, a third voice added: "I mean, it is sexual assault. If I do not consent and someone rubs their genitals in my face that's sexual assault."
The post continued: "You may think, it's just a video game. Well, I grew up with a large crowd of boys who did that for fun, all the time to other people irl.
"It's not funny. It's disgusting."
Naturally, Lucky's post sparked quite a debate - with his followers quick to chime in with their differing opinions.
"If you can't handle teabagging, don't play online multiplayer games," offered one user.
"It's a fictional video game..." said another, while a third added: "If you experience trauma from being teabagged in halo it's time to put down the controller and go outside."
That said, there were others who agreed that the act was just as inappropriate online as it is in reality.
"Who are we to make that call though? Just because you, or I don't see that as sexual assault because it's not "in person", doesn't mean it's not trauma for someone else," suggested one comment.
"People have been through a lot the past 22 years and even years prior to 2000, trauma exists in diff ways."
The debate comes hot off the heels of other conversations centred around alleged incidents of sexual assault that have taken place in the Metaverse, including a
woman who claimed she was virtually gangraped in Facebook's Metaverse and a
female researcher who reported that her avatar was sexually assaulted online.
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